


paper mountains

by optimusfine



Category: National Football League RPF
Genre: Angst, Community: hc_bingo, Job-Related Trauma, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-19
Updated: 2011-10-19
Packaged: 2017-10-26 07:30:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/280395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/optimusfine/pseuds/optimusfine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>There's really nothing to say, not now, not when Danny's out for the rest of the season and Sam's getting hurt every week and the entire team is falling apart around them.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	paper mountains

**Author's Note:**

> because I've needed to write something for them for like, _months_ , and I just keep forgetting. and also because I wanted to. title taken from _Walk_ by Foo Fighters.

Sam doesn't touch him for the first weekend after Danny’s surgery.

Like, at all.

There’s no hand running through his hair, no fingers curling through his when he’s least expecting it, no soft kisses brushed over his forehead before he goes to sleep, none of it. It’s like Sam’s reverted back to the way he was when they first met, all awkward half smiles and anxious glances and stilted, jerky motions that keep him from touching Danny when they pass each other in the hallway.

Which is… kind of shitty, if Danny’s being honest, but he knows how Sam gets in the midst of stress, knows the way he pulls away, and the way Sam nearly winces every time he catches sight of the brace on Danny’s elbow and something like fear flashes over his face says enough.

But then they have their bye week, and Sam gets better, drags Danny out to go see Sam’s parents in Oklahoma, and it’s good. It’s better than good, mostly, because Sam skates his fingers over the back of Danny’s hand while they’re sitting in the airport terminal in St. Louis, and when Danny looks over at him with wide eyes, Sam just quirks a crooked smile at him and then raises an eyebrow as if in questioning, and Danny grins.

And then Green Bay happens.

The game is a disaster and a half, a long series of stupid mistakes and bad plays and then Sam goes down, hard, and Danny knows something is wrong the second Sam doesn’t stand up right away, the way the quarterback sort of hobbles to his feet and just stands there, looking dazed.

There's a slight limp in Sam's step, but he shakes it off, and he convinces Coach Spags to let him go back out and play, while Danny stands there looking between the two of them with wide eyes. Danny's not really even supposed to be at the game, what with the injury and being put on IR and all, but he'd had a bad feeling about staying home, and now he knows why.

They lose the game, 24-3, and Danny nearly has to wrestle the keys out of Sam's hand because Sam still thinks he can drive home, and like hell if that's going to happen. But Sam flinches away from Danny so violently he almost stumbles backwards, and Danny feels his heart sink.

It's not any better the next morning, when Sam leaves for practice before Danny wakes up and comes home with a walking boot on, all smooth black fabric and velcro straps that make Danny anxious just looking at it.

"High ankle sprain," and Danny looks up, startled, when Sam speaks. "They, uh. They think I might not be able to play on Sunday."

And the peculiar hitch in Sam's voice, the way he chews on his bottom lip and it comes away from his teeth smeared with blood, that nearly ruins Danny, makes him take a step forward and breathe out Sam's name so quietly it's almost silent.

Sam looks down with dark eyes, hands tucked into his pockets, and Danny rests the palm of his good hand on Sam's chest when he leans up for a kiss, eyes sliding shut at the feel of Sam's fingers tangling in his hair. There's really nothing to say, not now, not when Danny's out for the rest of the season and Sam's getting hurt every week and the entire team is falling apart around them.

There's only this, the soft press of their lips and the slight tang of copper and the way Sam pulls Danny closer, mindful of the arm Danny's still cradling protectively to his chest, to break the kiss and bury his face against the side of Danny's neck with a sound that may be a low sob.

It's not enough, but it's all they have.  



End file.
